diff --git a/mxqd.c b/mxqd.c
index 4303a824..68d599fe 100644
--- a/mxqd.c
+++ b/mxqd.c
@@ -1203,16 +1203,17 @@ static unsigned long start_job(struct mxq_group_list *glist)
     job->host_cpu_set_str = mx_cpuset_to_str(&job->host_cpu_set);
 
     pid = fork();
+    if (pid == 0) {
+        job->host_pid = getpid();
+        mx_log_debug("starting reaper process.");
+        exec_reaper(server, glist, job);
+        _exit(EX__MAX+1);
+    }
     if (pid < 0) {
         mx_log_err("fork: %m");
         cpuset_clear_running(&job->host_cpu_set,&server->cpu_set_available);
         mxq_unload_job_from_server(server->mysql, job->job_id);
         return 0;
-    } else if (pid == 0) {
-        job->host_pid = getpid();
-        mx_log_debug("starting reaper process.");
-        exec_reaper(server, glist, job);
-        _exit(EX__MAX+1);
     }
 
     gettimeofday(&job->stats_starttime, NULL);